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Melling Interchange Announcement Min Mayor Chair

Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi Community Update 18: April 2025

Newsletters, 11 April 2025

Melling transport improvements to start this year

NZTA has been given the green light to proceed with the SH2 Melling Transport Improvements.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced on Friday 4 April that the alliance delivery contract had been signed, additional funding had been agreed by Cabinet, and that construction would begin later this year.

He labelled the project as “critical” for the future of the Hutt Valley, explaining how it would be transformational when combined with the projects part of the wider Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi programme.

“Today is a great day for the Hutt Valley. Getting on with the Melling project will give much needed certainty to residents, businesses, and the wider community that have been calling for these improvements for many years. I look forward to being on site later this year to turn the first sod and kick off construction,” Minister Bishop said.

The Melling interchange and bridge construction is expected to be completed in 2031 with demolition of the old bridge to follow in 2032.

Read the Minister's announcement

Melling line to stay open when Melling Station closes

Greater Wellington also announced a major step forward for Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi programme. Melling Station will be closing, however, the Melling Line will continue operation terminating at Western Hutt Station.

From late December 2025/early January 2026, the Melling Station will close for approximately 3 years while construction begins on the new State Highway 2 interchange and bridge.

Approximately 370 passengers catch the train from the Melling Station each day. Greater Wellington have been working closely with partner agencies to implement alternative travel options for Melling Station users.

Additional Park and Ride facilities will be installed at Petone Station, and bus routes 145, 149 and 150, which connect suburbs in the western hills to Melling Station, will be re-routed to Waterloo Station. Fares from Waterloo Station will remain the same as those from Melling.

Closer to the time Metlink will engage with communities to explain more about alternative travel options.

Find out more about Melling Station closure

Strengthening river defences

Rocks ready to be added to the rocklines

Greater Wellington will be installing rocklines - sloping rock walls - along Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River between Melling and Kennedy Good bridges. The rocklines will help strengthen flood defences, safeguarding homes, schools and businesses.

You will see heavy machinery in the river laying the rocks, and trucks taking material for disposal. As part of bioengineering works further north, willow bundles will be laid along the river’s edge to help prevent erosion and create natural habitats for river life.

While work is underway, some car parks will be closed alongside the western riverbank at Tirohanga and there’s a slight deviation of the walking track there. The work will continue through the winter.

A reminder that the eastern side of the Hutt River Trail between Melling Link and Kennedy Good bridges will remain closed to walkers and cyclists until Greater Wellington have completed all the river work.

Greater Wellington is committed to reopening the trail as soon as it is feasible, but the site has considerable hazards including unstable rock piles, uneven surfaces and heavy machinery.

Trail users will need to continue following the alternative route. Thank you for your patience and cooperation while this important work is completed.

Demolition update

The old Melling skate park on Block Road has now been cleared in preparation for construction of the new Melling Interchange – in fact, this space will eventually form part of the southbound offramp.

The area will remain closed off as it may be used for storage of various materials ahead of main construction, which starts later this year.

Demolition of 51 Rutherford Street (the old Hot Spring Spas building) is up next, starting at the end of April.

In May, 317 High Street (the old MSD building) will also be demolished.

Groundwater monitoring continues

Groundwater monitoring on Waterloo Road and Rutherford Street is ongoing. Both locations will have a small number of car parks unavailable during the work, which takes place between 9am-4pm, each Monday from 17 March until late August.

NZTA has completed environmental soil sampling in the Block Rd area and have also been monitoring the performance of the stormwater network around State Highway 2.

This type of work is crucial for helping fully understand local conditions before construction starts late this year.

Important info: Wellington Water and KiwiRail project updates

During the Easter school holidays, Wellington Water and KiwiRail will both be carrying out critical work in Lower Hutt that may impact travel in the area.

While these works are not part of Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi, we know many in the community will be affected.

Wellington Water will be working on a sewer main under State Highway 2, starting Saturday 12 April. This work is expected to take around two weeks to complete. A northbound lane closure and other traffic management measures will be in place to ensure safety, leading to significant delays during peak times. Please plan your journey accordingly.

More information can be found on the Wellington Water website.

KiwiRail have advised upgrades will be happening on the Hutt Valley and Melling lines from Friday 18 April, which will result in some timetable changes and bus replacements. Please plan your journey accordingly.

More information on this work can found on the MetLink website.